Marketing Glossary
What should marketers let go of in 2026? [Answered]
HubSpot has published an article answering the question ‘
Laura M. Browning says, “I asked six HubSpot colleagues who are experts in their respective arena what their hopes and dreams are for 2026. From “just make AI and spreadsheets work” to tracking emotional momentum, here‘s what we’re looking forward to next year.
You can also check out the hard-won lessons my colleagues learned from the rollercoaster that was 2025.
What is the one thing you are betting AI will finally be able to do for you in 2026 that it cannot quite nail today?
Adam Biddlecombe, Lead marketer, AI media strategist
“Honestly, I am just praying for seamless integration with Sheets. I have lost too many hours this year going back and forth with ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini trying to build or analyze a spreadsheet, and it still never quite lands.
“I want that moment where I can point at a messy sheet and say, ‘Clean this up, fix the formulas, and show me the insights,’ and it just does it. No weird formatting and no hallucinating. If AI can genuinely understand and manipulate Sheets the way an analyst would, that is the upgrade I am most excited for in 2026.””.
Website homepage design: My favorite 32 examples to inspire you [Guide]
HubSpot contributor Lauren Farrell has published a new guide, ‘
She says, “What you might not realize is the bottom-line impact your homepage design can have, good and bad. The homepage is usually where leads and customers get their first look and impression of your business. It’s a digital representative, acting on behalf of your business to introduce your brand, products, and services.
In this guide, I’ll share best practices for homepage design along with brilliant homepage design examples that have implemented them.
Table of Contents
Homepage Design Best Practices
Through trial and error (and a whole lot of website analytics ), I’ve developed a set of homepage design best practices that consistently deliver results. The goal is to capture attention at the first page load, while also leaving a lasting impression that encourages visitors to return and take action.”
What AI and agents mean for marketing teams… now and in the future [Video]
AI-powered agents help marketing teams automate research, content creation, campaign optimization, and customer interactions, enabling faster and more data-driven decisions. By acting as always-on assistants, these agents improve efficiency, personalization, and scalability across marketing workflows.
MarTech has published a new video, ‘What AI and agents mean for marketing teams… now and in the future’.
The MarTech team says, “Marketing teams are on the cusp of a major transformation: With new roles like agent designers and AI operations managers to shifts in workflows and leadership models, we’re entering an era where humans and AI agents collaborate as colleagues of a sort. We’ll close out this edition of the MarTech Conference with a look at the future of work in marketing… and what it means to lead, manage, and collaborate in an agent-powered organization.
After this session, you’ll be able to:
- Understand how team roles and structures will change in response to agent-led workflows.
- Know what it means to design and manage AI agents as teammates.
- Determine what leaders must do now to prepare for the shift to agent-integrated organizations.”
Why Smart Businesses Are Switching to DotComPal’s ‘Appointments’ #ad
If you need to make appointments with clients, Appointments by DotComPal is for you.
If you run a service-based business, you know the sound of lost revenue.
➤ It’s the silence after you send an email asking, “Does Tuesday at 2 PM work for you?”
➤ It’s the frustrating game of email ping-pong that lasts for three days, only for the client to ghost you.
➤ It’s the double-booked slots, the manual calendar shuffling, and the panicked realization at 8 AM that you have a meeting you completely forgot about.
For years, the solution has been to patch together a Frankenstein monster of software: Calendly for booking ($15/mo), Zoom for meetings ($15/mo), Stripe for payments (fees), and Mailchimp for reminders ($20/mo).
But what if you could have an enterprise-grade booking system that handles scheduling, payments, reminders, and client management—all in one place, without the monthly subscription drain?
Enter DotcomPal Appointments.
This isn’t just a calendar tool. It is the world’s first “Booking-to-Bank” ecosystem designed to turn your time into money on autopilot. And right now, during its exclusive preview phase, it is poised to disrupt the entire appointment software industry.
What’s wrong with current appointment management systems?
The “Silent Killer” of Service Businesses
Most entrepreneurs don’t realize how much manual scheduling costs them.
The Time Drain
The average professional spends 4.8 hours per week just coordinating meetings. That’s nearly 20 hours a month—time you should be billing for.
The No-Show Tax
Without automated SMS and email reminders, no-show rates can hit 20-30%. That is literal money walking out the door.
The Friction Factor
Every extra click or email a client has to send reduces the chance they will actually book.
The ideal Solution
We need a solution that is faster than Calendly, smarter than Acuity, and integrated into a complete marketing platform.
The Solution: DotcomPal Appointments
DotcomPal Appointments is the answer to the chaos. It removes the friction from your booking process, allowing you to wake up to a calendar filled with paid appointments.
Why It’s Superior to the “Big Guys”
While competitors charge you per user, per month, just to access basic features like “remove branding” or “accept payments,” DotcomPal gives you the keys to the kingdom.
AI Booking Assistant
Forget spending hours setting up complex rules. You simply describe your services, and the AI builds your entire booking system for you. It’s like having a dedicated receptionist who works 24/7 for free.
Book Once, Embed Everywhere
Your clients are everywhere—Instagram, your website, your email signature. DotcomPal gives you a universal booking link that works seamlessly across all platforms. Whether it’s a discovery call or a high-ticket consultation, the experience is frictionless.
The “No-Show” Shield
DotcomPal Appointments comes armed with intelligent automated reminders (SMS and Email). It nudges your clients at the perfect intervals, drastically reducing no-shows and protecting your most valuable asset: your time.
Instant Payments
Stop chasing invoices. With seamless integrations for Stripe, PayPal, and more, you can require deposits or full payment before the booking is confirmed. The money hits your account before the meeting even starts.
The Power of Integration
The real magic of DotcomPal Appointments is that it isn’t just a calendar. It is part of an all-in-one marketing ecosystem.
When a client books an appointment, they aren’t just a name on a calendar. They are instantly added to your built-in CRM. You can trigger automated follow-up emails, add them to a sales funnel, or grant them access to a membership site—all automatically.
Try doing that with a standalone scheduler. You’d need Zapier, three different subscriptions, and a degree in computer engineering to make it work. With DotcomPal Appointments, it’s native.
Why The Preview Matters
We are currently in the Preview Phase for DotcomPal Appointments. This is a rare window of opportunity.
Software of this caliber usually launches with a steep monthly price tag. However, early adopters who get in during this preview phase can secure access that puts them miles ahead of the competition.
Imagine having a system that books, bills, and reminds clients for you, while you sleep. Imagine never having to ask “What time works for you?” ever again. Actually, you don’t have to imagine it; you can experince it.
Who Is This For?
Coaches & Consultants
Fill your discovery calls and paid sessions on autopilot.
Agencies
Manage multiple team members’ calendars without paying extra “per seat” fees.
Local Businesses
Spas, gyms, and salons can take bookings 24/7 without a receptionist.
Freelancers
Look like a Fortune 500 company with a professional booking page that handles your payments.
The Future is Automated
The days of manual scheduling are dead. Your clients expect instant gratification. If they can’t book you in two clicks, they will book your competitor.
DotcomPal Appointments gives you the professional edge you need to capture that business. It transforms your calendar from a chaotic to-do list into a streamlined revenue engine.
Don’t let another lead slip through the cracks.
Experience the future of scheduling now, here: DotcomPal Appointments.
There is a Launch Preview Webinar at 10:00 EST today. Sign up here: DotcomPal Appointments Launch Preview.
Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.
What’s Changing With Consent in AI [Guide]
Consent in AI refers to obtaining clear, informed, and voluntary permission from users before collecting, using, or processing their data through AI systems. It ensures ethical AI practices by respecting user privacy, data rights, and transparency in how AI-driven decisions are made.
Digital Marketing Depot has published a new infographic, ‘What’s Changing With Consent in AI’.
The DMD says, “As AI reshapes marketing and analytics, consent must evolve from static, one-time permissions to dynamic, ongoing governance to maintain customer trust and enable responsible personalization. With legal, governance, and compliance concerns cited as top barriers to AI adoption for over half of organizations, adaptive consent strategies are now essential for powering personalization while adhering to new ethical and regulatory responsibilities.
This infographic details the shift in four critical areas, moving from the old model to the new reality:
- Ongoing, contextual consent replaces one-time approvals.
- Ecosystem-wide data connection replaces a channel-based approach, as AI integrates data across every marketing system.
- Shared governance among Marketing, IT, and Privacy replaces management solely by the Privacy team.
- Consent data shifts from just being a Proof of Compliance to becoming an Enabler of Trust, powering transparency and customer confidence.”
Why Stories, Not Charts, Hold the Power in Data-Driven Decisions [Video]
The CMI team says, “Content marketers are storytellers until the data shows up. You craft narratives for campaigns, blogs, and video series. But when it’s time to report the results, the charts take over. Humana’s David Ciommo sees the consequences. The company had 44,000 dashboards and digital reports, and leaders still requested more, hoping the next one would finally explain the original.”
Why isn’t there more creativity in B2B marketing? [Video]
Creativity in B2B marketing is essential to cut through information overload and differentiate brands in crowded, logic-driven markets. It humanizes complex offerings, builds emotional resonance, and strengthens recall across long buying cycles.
MarTech has published a new video, ‘Zero to launch: Using AI for campaign and content creation at scale’.
This video covers the following:
- Why make ROI: The Musical in the first place?
- Why don’t companies get more creative in their marketing?
- Is bureaucracy and personal preference holding back creativity?
- What is the future of long-form, creative content?
Why YouTube Is the Best Place to Find Customers Right Now [Video]
In this video, you’ll learn:
- Why traditional TV lost attention, and YouTube gained it
- How modern consumers actually make decisions in 2025
- Why intent happens before the search query
- How Demand Gen finds customers who act like your best buyers
- How brands can scale attention, trust, and conversions simultaneously.
